CHAPTER XVIII 
HANS EGEDE AND DANISH GREENLAND 
In the beginning of the 18th century there was living 
at Vogen, in the diocese of Trondhjem in Norway, a priest 
named Hans Egede, who for some years had been engaged 
solely in his parochial duties. In about 1708, when his 
age was 26, he became deeply impressed with the story 
of the abandonment of the Greenland colony. The fact 
that Christians had formerly lived in Greenland, that 
they had been abandoned to their fate, and that the 
world had heard of them no more, preyed upon his mind. 
He felt that it was the duty of every Norwegian to help 
in the search for them. If no one else had that feeling 
he, a poor parish priest, would do so single-handed. He 
was torn by conflicting duties to his parish, and to his wife 
and children, but his Greenland duty seemed the most 
urgent. This inward impulse was the strongest, and in 
1710 he addressed a petition on the subject to his Bishop. 
The reply commended the project, but dwelt on the 
almost insuperable difficulties. 
Hans Egede was looked upon as a fanatic, as a knight 
errant. At first no one would listen to him. He went 
to Bergen to try and get support, but none could be 
obtained, though some were touched by his zeal. One 
great comfort was that after a time his wife embraced 
the idea and became as enthusiastic as her husband. 
At last, in 1718, he determined to go to Copenhagen 
and appeal to his King. Frederick IV admired the good 
priest's devotion to a noble cause, encouraged him in 
his efforts, and used the royal influence for raising funds. 
At last a sum of £2000 was got together, while the King 
gave £40 towards the equipment of a vessel and granted 
a salary of £60 a year to Egede. 
A vessel called the Hope was bought, and the adven- 
turous priest embarked with the crew and his wife and 
